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Extreme Weather and Slip and Fall Injuries

As we near the summer’s end, no one wants to think about the much colder season that lurks on the horizon. We’re still enjoying balmy weather, so why worry about ice and snow that’s surely months away?

The Wild Weather Challenge

In the past few years, we’ve seen the weather fluctuate as few can remember. From earthquakes and dealing with the tail end of hurricanes and super storms in Southern Ontario to flash flooding and freak hailstorms, it’s been a wild and woolly rollercoaster.

It does make keeping walkways safe a true challenge, but it’s a challenge that business and property owners – and even snow removal contractors – need to take very seriously.

As a member of the public, you have a right to expect walkways to be cleared and navigable:

At your workplace

At any private facility (like a store or mall) open to the public

At any public facility (like a school, library, government building and so on)

In the common areas of a condo or apartment building

In short, anywhere you have a legitimate reason to go in the normal course of your life and business

Who Is Responsible?

Slip and fall injuries are no joke, and may involve soft tissue and other injuries with lasting effects. The courts on both sides of the border take the responsibility for ensuring the public’s safety very seriously. In a recent court decision in the U.S., a plaintiff was left severely disabled after a slip and fall accident near her home. In the subsequent lawsuit, the management of the housing complex was found liable for 75% and the snow removal contractor for 25%.

What You Need to Remember

That’s an American example, it’s true, but there’s no doubt that the issues can get complicated – you need sound and proven legal representation. A sudden injury from a slip and fall accident is disorienting and painful, but please keep two things in mind:

Get prompt medical attention. Even if your injuries or their extent isn’t immediately apparent, they can result in residual conditions like Chronic Pain Syndrome and fibromyalgia which can turn into ongoing problems.

Get legal advice. It’s the only way you can fully protect your interests and try to get the compensation you need to start on the road to recovery and rehabilitation.

At Petrillo Law, we work on behalf of injured people to get them the compensation they deserve. As experienced slip and fall lawyers, we understand the pain and uncertainty that comes with being injured. We have successfully recovered damages on behalf of hundreds of slip and fall victims throughout Mississauga, the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and Ontario. And we can help you too.